


Cruel Marks

by Rainbownomja



Series: Writers Month 2019 Prompts [16]
Category: Original Work, Previously - Fandom, RWBY
Genre: (She's bigger in the main plot not so much here), (implied here, (partial), / probably will make no sense considering the rest of the work isn't done yet..., Angst, Asexual Character, Bittersweet, Blind Character, Deaf Character, Disabled Character, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Lesbians, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, RWBY OC's - Freeform, Rebellion, Snippets, Soulmate AU, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Started as a RWBY RP, War, overt in the rest of the novel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-05 20:41:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20279497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbownomja/pseuds/Rainbownomja
Summary: Original Story General Summary: The people of Mantalia live where the earth was cracked during the sudden global warming event that wiped out 75% of humanity centuries ago. The crisis lead to ages of civilizations living on oceans of molten plastic in the mantel of the earth. They fight for territory away from their home which is rapidly heating up and destroying dwindling resources. Their methods used to be the usual kind for war, but have since spread to genetic testing and genocide.Ash used to be one of their many soldiers. But after the death of her mother and partner, she escaped and joined the rebellion brewing on the outer regions of what is left of the world.Summary for this piece: Ash has always had a soulmate mark that made no sense to her. She decided that it didn't matter. But Margo saw it, and the connection became clear.





	Cruel Marks

**Author's Note:**

> Writers Month Prompt: Soulmates
> 
> I'll be honest this one was a struggle. 1) because It feels like I've been writing soulmates the entire month, and 2) because its really difficult to make an original unposted work make sense to a general public outside of posting the work itself. 
> 
> But we're half way there! I hope y'all like this sneak peak of what I'm currently in the process of! I hope it makes some semblance of sense all things considered.

Ash had a tattoo that she didn’t purchase drifting along her left set of ribs. Unlike most soulmate markings it made no sense, the image didn’t connect to anything specific. Both her and Camile came to the conclusion that they had no soulmate. Camile had no mark at all, which didn’t really bother her. 

They were at war, nobody in the base should’ve cared anyway. But most did. They had the luxury considering their jobs didn’t require them to be in the line of fire often. Mantalia never cared for soulmate marks and thus dying without finding the other half didn’t come up. 

Margo had yet to speak of hers, and Ash couldn’t see one in any usual spots. So she went about her business. Regaining depth perception and her level of skill with the loss of her eye took up enough time. But Margo tended to hang around while she was training. Sitting in the corner making idle conversation or doing her own target practice. She was a steady force to calm the tremble in Ash’s hands with every gunshot. 

In the evenings Ash sat down with her in the tower, teaching her sign language on good days, and talking about what was coming on the bad. Margo wanted to speak to Camile better than she was currently, which proved Ash’s theory that she wanted to stay with the rebellion. 

That evening, Ash was laying on her stomach, staring off at the setting sun. Her dark skin seemed to sparkle in its glow, giving it a golden depth that stayed hidden inside. As she pulled her arms forward to stretch however she didn’t notice her shirt lifting. If she was with anyone other than Margo she would have been more careful. 

“That’s kind of a strange choice for a tattoo there boss.” She said, her voice weirdly strained. Ash glanced over her shoulder and felt her eyes go wide as she tugged her shirt down. The tattoo was the least of her problems. “Were those-”

“Yes.” Ash cut her off. Margo didn’t press. For a moment it seemed that the conversation was over, until the metal of Margo's fingers caught in the light and Ash realized her hands were curled in the hem of her shirt. She sat up. “What are you doing.” 

Margo swallowed, and lifted one edge to show her own tattoo. Hers made sense to Ash, it was colored just like her mother used to draw them. Air was trapped in her lungs, unwilling to come out. “Seems familiar to you.” Margo muttered. 

“It’s a tawny owl feather.” Ash replied. “Like it was ripped from moms sketchbook.” 

“Yours is…” Her voice caught. “It’s just him.” 

Ash glanced down at her ribs trying to put the pieces together. For years she’d stared at this tattoo made of a plant she’d never seen. It’d never occurred to her that Mantalia and the surrounding mountain wouldn’t have them. The golden ring that shone along the lines of white berries looked exactly like the one that Margo had on a chain around her neck. 

“Juniper is a type of plant?” Ash murmured. 

Margo nodded. “Its a tree, in the deserts.” 

Ash sighed and pulled Margo into her shoulder as her tears began to flow. For many years, Ash hadn’t believed in gods, and now she was even more sure. Because it was cruel that a mark meant for love was only going to inflict Margo pain for the rest of the life she had to live without her brother. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you enjoy my work please leave a comment and a kudos I love to hear from y'all. 
> 
> Want to keep up with my originals? Follow me on Tumblr @AvalonPendragonWrites. When I complete this piece that's where its likely to be posted! (Also please let me know if this looks interesting! This is the first I'm sharing of this world outside of my personal google doc!)
> 
> See you tomorrow!


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